1. Field of the Invention
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to an integrated circuit package and an integrated circuit module, and more particularly to an integrated circuit package and an integrated circuit module that may provide reliable electrical connections during a stacking process.
2. Description of the Related Art
An integrated circuit chip may have a significant number of data input/output pads. Accordingly, an integrated circuit package (that may implement the integrated circuit chip) may have a significant number of pins. A ball grid array (BGA) packaging technology may be pursued as a method of forming external connection terminals in an integrated circuit package. The BGA packaging technology may implement solder balls instead of pins for electrical connection with an external device.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional BGA package that may be stacked on a printed circuit board.
Referring to FIG. 1, the BGA package 101 may include a board 111. An integrated circuit chip 121 may be mounted on the board 111. A molding resin 131 may seal the integrated circuit chip 121. Solder balls 141 may be provided on the board 111. The printed circuit board 105 may include a plurality of solder lands 151.
An infrared reflow process may be implemented to bond the solder balls 141 to corresponding solder lands 151 to electrically connect together the BGA package 101 and the printed circuit board 105.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of another BGA package that may be stacked on the BGA package shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 2, the stacked BGA package 201 may include an integrated circuit chip 221 mounted on a board 211. The integrated circuit chip 221 may be molded with a molding resin 231. The BGA package 101 and the stacked BGA package 201 may be electrically connected together by solder balls 241. An infrared reflow process may be implemented to bond the solder balls 241 to desired package components.
Although the conventional packages are generally thought to be acceptable, they are not without shortcomings.
For example, a solder joint may be weakened by thermal mismatch between the solder balls 141 and the solder lands 151. Accordingly, the solder balls 141 may become disjoined from the solder lands 151.
Also, a solder joint may be weakened by warpage of the BGA packages 101 and 201. Accordingly, the solder balls 141 may become disjoined from the solder lands 151.
Furthermore, a solder material may creep from a solder joint area during a thermal cycle process because a melting point of a solder is low. Accordingly, the solder joint may become disjoined.
Moreover, a solder joint area may crack when the BGA packages and/or the printed circuit board receives external mechanic impact because a solder may be formed of a fragile intermetallic compound. Such a crack may cause disjoining of the solder joint.
Finally, a temperature environment may be higher than 230° C. when the BGA package 201 is stacked on the BGA package 101, and/or when the BGA package 101 is stacked on the printed circuit board 105. The integrated circuit chips 121, 221 may be damaged by such a temperature environment. The above noted shortcomings may become more prevalent as the number of infrared reflow processes increases.